Wenger's vow to halt Euro failure

Wenger can find no common denominator in Arsenal's lamentable run of recent Champions League results, though in the case of the defeat in Kiev he agreed that the goals conceded were due to bad defending. "Yes, we gave the goals away," he agreed.

The Arsenal manager is now among the most experienced tacticians in European football, though he has taken Arsenal to the quarterfinals just once in their five previous Champions League campaigns. In gentler times he took Monaco to the semi-finals, but he believes the potential to win the title these days rests with the elite.

"Steaua Bucharest won in 1986," he smiled. "Could you envisage something like that happening today?"

Despite recent evidence to the contrary, Wenger remains convinced that his squad of players are capable of winning the European title, if not this season then at some stage in the near future.

"We've got to be realistic and at the moment the priority is simply to qualify for the next stage," he said. "But I believe we're good enough to win it. Last season, Juventus only just scraped through the second stage with seven points but went on to reach the final."

Wenger claims Arsenal have been short on good fortune in Europe but, while there may be some truth in this, it's hardly an adequate explanation for their dismal European form.

It's quite possible, of course, that what is good enough in the Premiership counts for significantly less at the high table of European football.

As the Premiership table reveals, Manchester United and Chelsea can be relied upon to sustain a challenge for the domestic honours but most of the rest are simply filling walk-on roles.

Tactically, Arsenal are finding life far tougher in Europe and this demands of them a very high level of team play.

"People keep talking about Henry's goals, but if the team plays well the goals come naturally," said Wenger.

"The most important thing is that we achieve a good team performance. We have to focus on getting the technical aspect of the job right. We know we can win at Highbury. When we get our game right we can beat anyone at home."

Not in Europe, though; or at least not lately. One of the problems at home has been the erosion of the kind of defending that epitomised George Graham's reign. Three clean sheets in the past 14 Champions League games at Highbury is not the kind of defensive record you expect from teams with realistic hopes of lifting the trophy.

Defeat tonight is unthinkable for Arsenal, though Wenger will recall that it was Dynamo Kiev - and in particular Sergei Rebrov - who knocked his team out five years ago and propelled the Ukrainian side to the semi-finals.

The financial implications make tonight's match the most important of the season so far for Arsenal, though for Wenger and his players solving the Arsenal Stadium Mystery is all that matters. They need to start winning again - and quickly.